Engaged and responsive fully alive is Swarthmore Troop 112 from Pa. who are visiting Adonai. What a great way to start off spring season for Bahamas Sea base 2015. This incredible group of Boy Scouts and Venture Scouts are a team of 19 including 4 females and 6 adult leaders. What I noticed was a gentle confidence from the leaders having an impact on the youth. Great leadership breeds success which was certainly seen this week!
With the wind blowing through our hair exploring the sea of Abaco this week a baby squid shows up to check out the dish cleaning crew off the sugar scoops on our first evening out. The sunrises and Adonai moves south while underway a pod of dolphin come to play. The curious creatures of such grace and beauty found interest in our scouts playing in their sea play ground coming within 10 feet of one of our swimmers bringing smiles to us all. On occasion if you keep your eyes open a sea turtle will poke it’s head out or do a made dash leaving a shadow of wonder. Mask on and exploring watch out a barracuda will raise your heart beat and speed up your swimming pace just for fun.Barracuda look threatening yet they are merely curious by standers. Fresh conch becomes a hunted delight ending up in our of stew. Conch surely give hours of fun with our scouts seeking the water for their hidden treasure. Fishing off the stern also becomes fruitful as they sizzled eventually on the grill seasoned and wrapped in foil.
Jumping off the Adonai into the clear Bahama water is just as much fun as diving off a 1862 wreck leaving cannons on the ocean floor out on the reef surrounded by beds of sea fans or exploring a sunken barge with golf carts and washing machines scattered about. I must remember climbing up ” Don”t Rock “ which is a lone jagged rock sitting in the ocean with spiked cactus growing on top. What an invitation as I look being filled with the desire to jum in to clear clear still waters below. Beautiful puffy clouds in the back ground lighting up the sky make it irresistible, my heart rate goes up how high is this? Yes , ok , not too high! I take the plunge into a wonderful splash creating so much fun.
Fresh coconuts off the tree cracked open on coral rocks are delicious the only competition out there for fresh coconuts for this group is hot sauce! They came with a bunch and added to it by finding local hot mango sauce, fiery papaya sauce, and eventually making their own brew “Chernobyl” Samples of both are given so if you are brave enough come on by for some spiced coconut.
Anchor watch brings the beauty of the night sky into the heart. Ships log- “ April 15 03:00-06:00 Anchor Watch early in the shift the white moon blocked quite a bit of the star field - as the moon started to set it slowly changed color to orange from yellow. Revealing a wonderful view of the milky way and star field. A pod of dolphins slowly cruised by … blowing air every so often. Haze set in towards the end of the shift on a dead calm sea, post card perfect ; } “

And so it is and so it was aboard Adonai. I wish you a Happy Easter and as you ponder on the night sky , thank Jesus for he is worthy, he is our gift of unmerited grace risen today. The creator of our wondrous night sky.